Need set-up help

[Grouser906]

Hello from a solar newbie and need help,
I have a 10x15 log cabin build, 2 gas lights in the back end and would like to set up a solar system for the front end, I currently have 4-barina led 5 watt lights and a Barina 20-watt light. charge a cell phone, previously powered by a 300-watt EngineStar that is now dead-that's it

Inverter is a GoWise1000watt.
Need help with - 100 or 200 solar kit?
Need help with - 12v 100 or 200 lifopo4 battery?

IT is in the U.P. of Michigan, lots of snow and cold!
I Use the cabin several times throughout the year
ATTACH]182515[/ATTACH]

 

[Rocketman]

Don’t buy a kit - often times parts of the kit are too cheap.

You can NEVER charge a lithium battery below 32F - it will destroy the battery. Unless your cabin stays above that temp - you will probably be better off with AGM batteries.

Unless it is never that cold when you stay there, and in the winter you isolate the battery when you leave - then you could go with lithium.

Here is what I would go with…
Find cheaper solar panels- used, or big ones - look at the $$$/watt. Look at Craigslist or call some solar vendors and ask what they have laying around. Hopefully you can find two 350w or so panels for a good price. Hook them up in parallel.

Get a Victron mppt - 100/30 or 150/35 or 150/45.

Get a Victron Smartshunt or BMV712 (also get the optional temperature sensor).

I can’t help on the batteries- but make sure (if lithium) they have low temperatures cutoff for charging.

A few cables , fuses and solar panel mounts you will be ready.

I oversized the panels because that should not cost much extra and people always find they want more power than they originally thought.

With the Victron shunt (and temp sensor) you can setup a Bluetooth VE.Network between the shunt and the mppt and pass the voltage, current and TEMP to the mppt. Then in the mppt settings you can set it so the mppt will not charge batteries below ____F (user setable). This gives you redundancy for low temp charging.

One other piece of equipment you may want is a Victron smart battery protect (BP65). This is so if you leave stuff (loads) on, it will shutdown the loads before the battery bms goes into shutdown. It makes it much easier to restart batteries if the bms doesn’t trip into low voltage.

Yes you can go with other brands that are cheaper than Victron - sometimes they are fine - sometimes not… I full-time in my MotorHome with Victron equipment and it just works…

If I didn’t explain anything clearly- let me know and I will try again.

Make a drawing of your plans and post them - then we can make good suggestions on errors and improvements.

Good Luck -